Cops arrest two in death of pregnant woman

Philadelphia police arrested two men today in connection with the Feb. 7 murder of Tovoyia Owens.

Walter Williams and his brother, Robert Canada, got into a fight with Owens, 21, and her boyfriend outside Philadelphia Traffic Court about 2 p.m. that day, said Homicide Lt. Walt Bell.

Owens, who was about four months pregnant, was either punched or slapped by Williams and fell to the ground, Bell said. She died a short while later. A medical examiner ruled her death was caused by blunt impact trauma to her neck.

Bell said Williams had a long-simmering grudge against Owens' boyfriend that reignited when Williams encountered Owens and her boyfriend by chance at Traffic Court. Williams called his brother and told him that Owens' boyfriend had spit on their mother, Bell said. It was unclear if that account was true, Bell said.

Williams, 26, was charged with murder and related offenses. Canada was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and related offenses.

About this blog

Philly Confidential, which covers crime in Philadelphia and the suburbs, is written by Daily News staffers Dana DiFilippo, Stephanie Farr, Vinny Vella and Morgan Zalot.